Tag exposes two sheep thieves

Tema, Nov.25 GNA --- A tag number embossed on the ear of a sheep suspected to have been stolen from the Animal Husbandry Division of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, off the Accra-Tema motorway, which was being offered for sale given away the culprits, the Tema Circuit court "A" was on Thursday.

The Court, presided over by Mr Charles Asiedu granted Alidu Karifu, security man and Akure, labourer, 10 million cedis bail with surety each to re-appear on December 15.

They pleaded not guilty.

Prosecuting, Inspector Adolphus Otchere told the court that on August 16, this year, at about 08.30 hours, a witness met Karifu offering two live sheep for sale at the Valco Flats, a suburb of Ashaiman. He said the man expressed interest in buying the sheep, but after inspecting them found a tag with an inscription CS64 on the ear of one of the sheep; he became suspicious and questioned where Karifu got the animals.

Karifu confessed that he bought them from the Animal Husbandry Division, but when he was taken to the Ashaiman Police Station he told the police that one Akure, a labourer on the farm gave the animals to him for sale.

Inspector Otchere said Karifu led the police to arrest the labourer on the farm but he denied any knowledge of the theft.